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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2023
Join the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the Iowa Cubs, for Outdoors Day with the Iowa Cubs, on April 29.
- The first 500 youth through the gates will receive a voucher to claim a youth fishing pole as they leave the park.
- Kids activities are available near the indoor playground, including backyard bass, t-shirt coloring, custom iron-ons and a selfie booth.
- Visit with State Conservation Officers at the Turn in Poachers trailer and race a sailboat.
- All attendees may enter a drawing for the chance to win a lifejacket.
Gates open at 2:08 p.m., first pitch is scheduled for 3:08 p.m.
Tickets are $10 each, and $4 from the sale of each ticket goes to support the Iowa Hunter Education Association. Go to https://fevo.me/drn2023 for ticket information.
Iowa Hunter Education Instructor Association is committed to supporting organized conservation and outdoor recreation programs and efforts across the state of Iowa. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the primary functions of IHEIA are to provide funding and support to Iowa's Hunter Education, Fish Iowa, Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Outdoor Journey for Girls, Youth Hunter Education Challenge, Field to Fork, Hook and Cook, various youth shooting sports programs and other outdoor skills-based offerings.
MORAVIA – The late night, annual walleye collection has begun at Clear Lake, Rathbun Reservoir, and Storm Lake with collection efforts soon to follow at the Iowa Great Lakes.
Crews with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Bureau will set gillnets at night in traditional areas looking for walleyes that are ready to spawn.
This time of year, hatcheries operate into the wee hours of the morning as local staff bring in the nightly haul well past midnight. As fish “ripen,” the eggs are removed from the walleyes and the fish are returned to the lake where they were caught to make room for the next night’s catch.
The goal is to collect enough fish to hatch 162 million walleye fry that will supply Iowa lakes and fish hatcheries.
The Clear Lake, Rathbun, Spirit Lake, and Storm Lake fish hatcheries are open and ready for visitors. Contact the individual hatchery you intend to visit for visitor hours.
Media Contact: Jay Rudacille, Iowa DNR Warm and Coolwater Fish Culture Supervisor, 641-647-2406.
SPIRIT LAKE - Crews with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources placed fyke nets in the outlets of the sloughs that flow into Big Spirit Lake on April 9 to start collecting northern pike. Northern pike spawn in sloughs and shallow vegetated areas around the Iowa Great Lakes prior to ice leaving the lakes.
A total of 257 adult northern pike were collected in one night. The fish were transported to the Spirit Lake Hatchery. The broodstock produced over 2.4 million eggs which are currently being incubated in special jars that allow fresh water to flow over the eggs, supplying oxygen.
In less than two weeks, the fry will hatch and be stocked into Iowa's shallow lakes.
The Spirit Lake Hatchery is open to the public. Starting Friday, April 14, hours of operation will be 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., 7 days a week, through April 30.
Media Contact: Kim Hawkins, Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery Manager, 712-336-1840.
DES MOINES – Every year the Urban Forestry Awards luncheon recognizes cities, college campuses and utilities that demonstrate a variety of dedication to the importance of trees in their respective communities.
Awards will be presented April 12th at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. A full list of award winners follows.
Tree City USA Award – To qualify for the Tree City USA award, a city must have either a city forester or an active city tree board, have a tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita annually for its community forestry program, and have a tree planting and maintenance plan.
The award recipients are Adel, Ames, Arnolds Park, Atlantic, Badger, Belle Plaine, Bettendorf, Bondurant, Boone, Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Clarinda, Clarksville, Clinton, Clive, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Dallas Center, Davenport, Decorah, Denison, Denver, Des Moines, DeWitt, Dubuque, Dysart, Fort Dodge, Gladbrook, Glenwood, Greene, Grimes, Hampton, Harlan, Hiawatha, Hopkinton, Hudson, Indianola, Iowa City, Jefferson, Johnston, Keystone, Livermore, Luxemburg, Manchester, Maquoketa, Marion, Marquette, Muscatine, Nevada, Newton, North Liberty, Odebolt, Oelwein, Onawa, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Red Oak, Rock Rapids, Sioux City, Story City, Tipton, Urbandale, Van Horne, Washington, Waterloo, Waverly, Webster City, West Des Moines, and Winterset.
Tree City USA Growth Award – To qualify for the Tree City USA Growth award, cities must provide education and public relations, partnerships, planning and management, and tree planting and maintenance in their community.
The award recipients, which were also recipients of the Tree City USA award, are Bettendorf, Bondurant, Burlington, Clarinda, Clinton, Coralville, Des Moines, Dysart, Hiawatha, Iowa City, Johnston, Marion, Marquette, Mason City, Oelwein, Polk City, Story City, Waverly and Winterset.
Tree City of the World - Recognition through the Tree Cities of the World program represents the first step toward achieving a green vision for your city. To receive recognition, a town or city must meet five core standards: responsibility for the care of trees, official policy that governs the management of forests and trees, updated inventory or assessment, a dedicated annual budget for the routine implementation of the tree management plan and an annual celebration of trees.
Burlington is this year’s award recipient.
Tree Campus USA Award – To qualify for the Tree Campus USA award, a campus must have a campus Tree Advisory Committee, a tree care plan, a tree program with dedicated annual expenditures, an annual Arbor Day observance and a service learning project to engage the student body.
The award recipients are Clarke University, Devine Word College, Drake University, Hawkeye Community College, Iowa State University, Kirkwood Community College and the University of Iowa.
Tree Line USA Award – To qualify for the Tree Line USA award, a utility must meet five minimum requirements, including quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a tree-based energy conservation program and an annual Arbor Day celebration.
The award recipients are Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and Waverly Utilities.
Media contact: Emma Hanigan, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-249-1732.
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